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CHAPTER VII

MEAT

Canned meat adds variety to the diet in the winter-time and makes a
pleasant change from the cured and smoked meats. You put meat into
jars in the raw state and extend the sterilizing period or you can
cook the meat partially or completely and then sterilize for a shorter
period of time. Of course a reliable method of canning meat must be
used, such as the cold-pack process, where the sterilizing is done in
the tin or jar in either boiling water or steam under pressure. We
usually recommend the partial cooking, roasting or boiling of the meat
before canning especially for beginners. If you are a beginner in the
business of cold-pack canning then by all means cook the meat before
putting it in cans. If you have canned peas, beans and corn
successfully for years then you are ready for all kinds of raw meat
canning.

To save criticism of the cold-pack method of canning meat and to guard
against any danger from eating poorly prepared and improperly
sterilized meat we do not urge beginners to experiment with meat,
although the meat can be safely canned by any one whether new at the
canning game or a veteran in it if directions are carefully followed.
But it is the big "If" that we have to watch.

Many farmers and farmerettes are canning meats of all kinds all over
the country and there is never a can lost. We need more meat canning
done at home and you can do it if you will practice cleanliness in all
your work and follow directions.

The fear of getting botulinus bacteria from eating canned meat is just
a "bug-a-boo." It should be clearly understood that botulism is one of
the very rare maladies. The chances for getting it by eating canned
goods, say the experts, is rather less than the chances from dying of
lockjaw every time you scratch your finger. To regard every can as a
source of botulism is worse than regarding every dog as a source of
hydrophobia. Moreover, for the very timid, there is the comforting
certainty that the exceedingly slight danger is completely eliminated
by re-cooking the canned food for a short time before eating it.

There are always a few cases of illness traceable to bad food, not
only to canned food but to spoiled meats, fish, bad milk, oysters and
a number of things. There are also cases of injury and death by street
accidents, but we do n